Roy Hodgson was accused on Wednesday night of taking England "a step back to
the dark ages” and is also now facing a striker crisis against Brazil on
Sunday after Daniel Sturridge suffered suspected ankle ligament damage.

Time to change the script: Roy Hodgson's tactics criticised after stalemate with IrelandPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

With England labouring to a 1-1 draw against the Republic of Ireland, former captain Gary Lineker ripped into Hodgson’s 4-4-2 tactics and predicted a heavy defeat against Brazil if a more fluid system is not adopted.

“Don’t like England playing this system,” said Lineker. “So easy to play against. Brazil will thrash us if we line up the same way. Predictable and dated.

“Even though results haven’t been great, felt tactically England were maturing, but this is a step back to the dark ages. It’s not about playing in straight lines, it’s about playing between the lines. Depth gives flexibility, passing alternatives, creativity.”

Hodgson was adamant that it had been a positive England performance and questioned whether his system has really been so rigid.

“Was Wayne Rooney a midfield player, one who plays behind the front player or an out-and-out front player?” asked Hodgson.

“There's been far too much discussion about systems. The important thing is to have players who can attack and defend. We did it.

“I thought we played well enough, especially in the second half. The quality of the play was good. There were a lot of positives from this game.

“I was very pleased with the second half performance, we had sufficient dominance and goal chances to win the game. I can't complain about anything. We were probing, trying all sorts of ways of getting around them.”

Hodgson felt that his attacking options had been seriously undermined by the loss of Sturridge on 33 minutes.

Sturridge left Wembley on Wednesday night on crutches and wearing a protective boot and was not among the squad that immediately boarded a flight to Rio de Janeiro.

Hodgson is confident that there was no fracture but it would appear that Sturridge is already facing a race to be fully fit for the start of pre-season at Liverpool.

“It is a major blow for him, and for us,” said Hodgson. “He had a good start and we were very sad to lose him. The way we played in the second half with Sturridge in top form we might have created even more.”

Sturridge had ultrasound and a CT scan at Wembley on Wednesday night, with Liverpool now facing an anxious wait for the results.

“I fear it will keep him out for a few weeks but we don't think it's a fracture,” said Hodgson.

“I don't want to say it's a serious injury, but it'll keep him out for a period of time. I don't think anything's broken, but the doctor and the orthopaedic surgeon will have to contact Liverpool. We think it's ligaments.”

With Jermain Defoe having struggled with injury during the second half of the season and Danny Welbeck “touch and go” for Brazil due to a knee injury, Wayne Rooney will be the only fully sit striker in Rio de Janeiro.

Theo Walcott could also play through the middle and Hodgson has decided against calling up a replacements. It leaves England with only 15 fully fit outfield players, with Hodgson jokingly asking whether any members of the press would bring their boots on the trip.

“We just have to accept it,” he said. “It looks pretty much as if the 15 players who saw us through this game are going to have to see us through the next game.

“These are preparatory matches. I knew this would be a tough test, and it was even tougher than I had imagined because they were firing on all cylinders. We’ll get another type of test against the Brazilians.

"They're the questions I'm asking and I have to accept we do have a lot of firepower unavailable to us. We just have to hope it's with us in September.”

Welbeck has so far only been running and working out in the gym this week. “The swelling in his knee has gone down,” said Hodgson.

“It's a question of whether we've got enough time between now and Sunday. It'll be touch and go, but he's not ruled out.”